4 Backup Running Backs Worth Targeting Late in Your Fantasy Football Draft

Spencer Ware, Kansas City Chiefs

The sky is blue. Water is wet. Grass is green. Jamaal Charles is insanely good at football. These are the facts of life, and not in that order.

Seriously, you'd be hard pressed to find a true believer in sports analytics who doesn't think Charles is one of the best of all time at his position. But we do have to face reality and realize that, after two ACL surgeries and turning 30 years old at the end of the season, there's a chance Charles may not be as effective in 2016 as he has been throughout his career.

The Kansas City Chiefs very well may have their heir apparent on their squad right now, and he looks pretty good, too. I'm talking about Spencer Ware, who our own Jacob Gibbs described as the perfect late-round high upside running back to target in your fantasy football draft.

Ware is coming off a superb 2015 campaign.

Among all running backs with at least 50 carries in 2015, Ware finished second with an astounding 0.20 Rushing NEP per rush. His 50% Rushing Success Rate ranked third among that same group. That means he wasn't just racking up efficiency stats with touchdowns and big runs; he was consistently moving the chains.

Ware did struggle in the passing game, generating an abysmal -0.51 Reception NEP per target, but it'd be unfair to extrapolate or prognosticate on his capabilities in the passing game off of only six targets. This preseason, he's had four catches in each of his two appearances, so it's possible the Chiefs may think he's capable in that department, too, although the offseason signing of Charcandrick West to a contract identical to Ware's likely means West would have a role if Charles went down.

Even if Ware has no standalone value, he brings big-time upside to the table should he get the chance to lead the Chiefs' backfield for any amount of time. That makes him worth a late-round pick.